Investigating the Odd [D11, LA, Phoenix Embassy]

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

Hachi had the servants prepare a light repast, nothing heavy, for his expected guests. He also had out a wide, shallow bowl, filled with clear water. Additionally, a brazier and a small boulder were present. He was directing some servants in setting up a small torii-like structure with a small hanging bell. These are arrayed around a large table.

Finally, he prepares his drum, to assist his focus.

Then, he waits.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

He doesn't have to wait long. With the siege being relatively quiet Maiya turned up without her armour. She was carrying the two big swords, once again wrapped up in bundles, in her arms.

After announcing herself and being shown in she sets the items down so she could give Hachi a bow. Once again she wasn't alone.

"Konnichiwa Isawa-sama. Thank you for making some time."

All the preparations caught her attention. She didn't know why there was a drum in the room for a start.

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

He returns the bow as the pair enter. "Would you like some rice? Sake?"

Kaiu Amaya · **Joined:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:15 am **Posts:** 173

Amaya follows right behind her cousin and joins in with the bow. "Konnichiwa." Her use of words is as frugal as usual.

She eyes the display of various tools and other assorted objects with some curiosity.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Iie, but thank you Isawa-sama. Perhaps some tea?" She suggests, keeping things simple.

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

A nod to the servants, and it is brought out. It isn't a Crab tea, but is the hardiest of the Phoenix brews.

Once the tea is served, he has them kneel near the table, but not at it.

"I hope this is to your satisfaction. I hope to use each of the items here to call upon the kami of the four elements to see what they can show about the items. I have never done this with something from another realm, so it is new to me. Normally, I would not need such, but I wish to sway them as much as possible."

He takes some sips of the tea, savoring the flavor as it flows down his throat.

"When you are ready, would you place the items in the middle of the setup, on the table?"

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Thank you."

The hardy tea is an unexpected yet welcome reminder of home. Not quite the same of course, but familiar.

At Hachi's suggestion she sits closer to the table. The bundles are tugged over too. When the shugenja explained and asked them to place the swords on the table she gave Amaya a nod.

Unwrapping one each she sets hers on the table carefully. It was a heavy and wicked looking blade. Like a no-dachi, but thicker; almost like an axe in places. The length, large handle and weight meant it would be difficult for a person to wield unless they were very large, very strong or both.

"I thought the material could be interesting. See how dark it is? Ano, it's not like any other metal I've seen before. As these blades are now I doubt many samurai could use them. However, they could be reworked into something else if they are safe and the metal they're made from is useful. I mean, it's from Toshigoku, ne? I can't imagine it's exactly the same as the steel we use."

Isawa Miwako · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 7:21 am **Posts:** 590

"Konnichiwa." Miwako entered and bowed. She was curious about what the Kaiu had brought, but didn't wish to interupt. If her aid might be helpful, she would be there.

Kaiu Amaya · **Joined:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:15 am **Posts:** 173

Amaya also unpacks a bundled blade and hefts it carefully onto the table. Even heavy duty swords should be light enough to be easily carried, but these ones are as heavy as hammers.

When Miwako arrives, the smaller of the two Crab gives her a little smile and a bow. "Konnichiwa."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

"Konnichiwa Isawa-sama. Nice to see you again." Maiya greets Miwako as well. She gave her a bow too alongside her cousin.

"Have you been well?"

Oh little did she know.

Isawa Miwako · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 7:21 am **Posts:** 590

"I am better today, thank you." she nodded.

Kaiu Amaya · **Joined:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:15 am **Posts:** 173

Amaya gives the Phoenix a curiosity filled glance, but opts to remain silent.

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

First, Hachi rings the bell, letting the sound go through the room, before precisely saying the words he wishes. Sadly, the imbalance in the elements gets to him, and he drops, working to prevent the heaving from letting anything leave his mouth. He waves off any assistance, then stands and rings the bell again. While the sound again flows through the room, he swallows a mouthful of tea, then again carefully recites the prayer to the Air kami. This time, the air seems to flow through the room, then swirl around the table for a moment. He nods, then moves the the brazier.

He lights it with a candle, then drops a handful of incense in, allowing the smell to expand through the room. His face tightens before he again intones a prayer. This time, though the sounds are similar, there are minor differences from the previous one. He listens to the crackling from the brazier, then nods.

Next, he moves to the water, which begins to swirl before he even reaches it. He smiles at the moving stream, much as one might to a close friend, and drops some tea leaves in. The observant present might note the presence of other tea leaves at the bottom of the bowl. The prayer, though similar to before, seems to flow from his lips this time. It also seems one he knows well. The flow in the water stops, abruptly, without any water leaving the bowl, before starting up again.

Nodding, he moves to the small boulder, and takes up the hand drum near it. Using this, he beats out a regular pattern, one that is slow, at first, but gradually speeds up a bit. It becomes clear he is an amateur at this, but the boulder seems to like it, as it vibrates to the same thudding.After a beat, he works in the words of the prayer, making them resound with the beats of the drum.

With a final flourish of beats, he stops moving, and allows the sound to slowly echo to a silence.

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

As with most metal weapons, the blades contain a great deal of earth and fire to them.

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

"Well, that is something. It is not balanced, like a Katana is. So, the kami of Earth and Fire are most prevalent within these. Sturdy, but not worthy of being a soul or honor of anyone. Which would make some sense."

He moves over to the bowl of water. "Was there anything you wished specifically to know about them?"

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Watching and listening to all of Hachi's spellwork and ritual, Maiya felt unusually calm. It was good to see an expert at work. The early sickness Hachi displayed was quickly forgotten.

After his explanation, when he was done, she rubbed her cheek thoughtfully.

"I'm relieved they're not dangerous by themselves. Or cursed. Hmm. The main thing we wondered was if they're safe to carry or even to re-forge. Amaya-san could make them a little more wieldy. We hadn't seen a metal like this before. Considering where they're from, I thought they might have some unusual properties." She shrugged, showing she wasn't entirely sure.

"Usually when we fight something like that it uses tainted weapons. We wouldn't bother purifying them unless they were stolen Clan treasures. So, these two swords are an oddity to us. We had thought the two creatures we killed were tainted. Turns out they're called tsuno and, ano, they were not." She hoped the two shugenja wouldn't mind her talking about corruption. However, it was necessary to make her point.

"If you know anything about tsuno we would also like to hear it. If the enemy army summoned them once they could summon them again. We heard the name of them from Yogo Aya, a shugenja of the Scorpion."

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

"I have never heard that term before. Interesting. Something new, always love learning something new. So, natives to the Realm of Toshigoku? And they made these. Interesting. I have some limited abilities to learn things, though only limited more. Let me think."

He bows his head a moment, then raises it, and waves the trio over. "If you look, and the kami can answer, an image may appear in this water."

He turns back to the bowl, and intones a prayer again. This one has a similar cadence to the previous one, but slightly different. He starts to stumble on the words for a second, but uses his training to keep going, and manages to push the prayer through.

"What interaction does or did water have with this blade?"

He looks to the bowl to see the image.

__________

Commune, friendly kami, 1 called raise for extra question, TN 21: 20.
Luck reroll, same TN 21: 33 this time.

So, three questions, shown in images.

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

The water swirls and shows an image of rain falling down upon the blades in the middle of a combat.

Isawa Hachi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 2:42 am **Posts:** 401

"Not helpful. Typical, but not terribly helpful. All right, how about this: Would there be any way to melt these blades, and reshape them, as ice melts and is reshaped?"

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

The waters swirl around in confusion, then begrudgingly show Hachi the image of a burning campfire.

Investigating the Odd [D11, LA, Phoenix Embassy]

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